Corset.



T. F. SOMERS.

Patented July 20, 1915.

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THOMAS F. SOMEES, OF NEW YORK,.1\T. 'Y., ASSIGNOR-TO BIBDSEY-SOIVIEBS COMPANY,

. A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

consn'r.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THoMAs F. SoMnns, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the-county and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Corsets, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to corsets and more particularly to a maternity corset.

The object of the invention is to generally improve and strengthen such corsets and provide a novel additional supporting means therefor.

The manner of accomplishing the above and other objects will be clear from the fllowing description taken in connection with the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a View of both halves of the improved corset embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a view of part of one half of the corset with edges of the flaps unlaced and turned up to more clearly illustrate novel features. I

Referring to the drawing, the corset comprises the right and left halves A and B. The two halves are fastened for part of the length of the front by the clasping devices and hooks 11 which are carried by steels within the edges on the opposing halves A and B respectively. The steels do not'extend the entire length of the front edge of thecorsetf The lower ends of the steels as well asof all stays terminate short of the bottom edge of. the corset. Hooks 12 and eyes 13 for completely fastening up the front are secured to fabric 14 set in the front edges, the said fabric extending from the lower end of the. steels to the bottom edge of the corset. Strips of fabric may be sewed in line with the stays to extend from the ends of the latter to the bottom edge of thecorset to form a more flexible skirtlike portion at the lower edge of the corset. Since, with the exception of the fastening means, the right and left halves are of the same construction it will only be necessary to describe one of said halves. The front section 15, which carries the fastening de-:

vices along one edge, has secured to said edge a narrow rearwardly extendingflap 16. The lower edge of the flap constitutes a portion of the bottom edge of the corset, the flap extending upwardly along the front edge nearly one-half the length of the same. The front section 15 has a cutaway p'ortion,ias

Specification of Letters Patent.

shown at 17 which is of slightly smaller dlmensions than the flap 16, the said flap normally overlying the cut-away portion. The cut-away portion 17 leaves the front steel and its covering and the lower end of the flap 16 attached thereto, free to move outwardly to increase the dimensions of the skirt-like portion of the corset as the lacing 1s loosened; The forward side section 18 is sewed at its forward edge to the front section 15. Secured to the lower end of the section 18 along its rear and bottom edge is a flap 19 extending forwardly. The forward edge ofthe flap 19 is of a width equal to that of the rearward edge of the flap 16. Said edges of equal length are adapted to lie in close proximity and are provided with V Patented Jul 20, 1915.

Application filed April 18, 1912. Serial No. 691,571,

eyelets 20, 21-for lacing 22. There is a row of eyelets 23 extending the entirelength of the rear edge of the section 18, some of said eyelets at the lower end of thesection passing through said section and the flap 19. The side section 24: has a row of eyelets 25 extending along its forward edge which correspond to the eyelets 28 in the section 18. The eyelets 23 and 25 receive the lacing 26. A soft fabric 27 somewhatsofter than the fabric comprising the corset sec tions is sewed to the inner side of both sections 18 and 24 a suflicient distance back from theedge to cover the eyelets and lacing at the back. The fabric-27 is sewedso as'to be full when the edges of the contiguous sections are drawn together, as is shown; however, the material is of such texture that the folds thereof will not annoy. the wearer.

Elastic hose supporters 28 and 29 V are sewed to the bottom edge of the corset at the lower end of the side section .24, the supporter 28 being disposed in line-with the forward edge of said section and the supporter 29 being in linewith the seam of the side section 24: and the rear side section. 30. I The rear side section 30 and'the rear section 81 are of the :usual construction, the latter having a row of eyelets 32 arranged along. its rear edge to receive lacing and corresponding with eyelets 33 on the other half of the corset.

There is a band, 34 sewed to the bottom of the sections 24, 30 and 31. At its edge of attachment to the forward edge of section 24, the said band 34 is of a width equal is connected thereto by the part of the lacing 26 which passes through eyelets 23 and 25 therein. The band 34 extends rearwardly across the lower ends of sections 24-, 30 and 31 as shown and narrows down toward the rear edge, the rearwardly extending edges of the band being curved, as shown, the band being, therefore, cut from the cloth on the bias. The band is sewed along all four edges thereof, the bottom edge corresponding with the bottom edges of the sections. A tape 35 is sewed onto the bottom edge of the corset sections and band securing them together and forming a smooth edge.

It will be observed that the band 34% taken with the flaps 19 and 16which are connected together by lacing, forms a bias band running across the bottom of the corset about the hips and prevents the stretching of the thigh portion of the corset. This reinforcing band or strip covers the lower ends of the stays of the corset at the outside thereof,

provides an additional and more effective support and is a more economical construction in that it protects the seam of the corset and the corset being of double thickness along the band, will absorb perspiration more readily. With the particular arrangement of band and lacing, the auxiliary lacing 22 may easily be tightened to suit or let out gradually as development progresses, without changing side lacing 26 or the back lacing. It will be noted that the front and front side sections are so shaped that the corset is drawn in very little around the waist line in the front, but are full at the top to properly support the bust. The side, rear side and rear sections are formed so that the corset will at the back conform to the figure of the wearer. By such a con struction the corset will properly support the abdomen and waist without unnecessarily confining the same.

As it is obvious that various modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not wish to be limited to the exact details as shown and described.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:

1. The combination of a corset body having a part at the front thereof cut so as to provide an opening extending to the lower edge of said body, and a band fastened to the lower edge of said body at the outside thereof and having a portion which extends across and completely covers said opening on the outer side thereof, said band extending throughout the width of said body from the front to the rear thereof and being adjustable longitudinally to change the length thereof.

2. The combination of a corset body having a part at the front thereof cut away so memes as to provide an opening extending to the lower edge of said body, and an extensible band comprising a plurality of pieces having their lower edges sewed to the lower edge of said body on the outside thereof, said band extending across and completely covering said opening on the outside.

3'. In a corset, the combination of a plurality of sections constituting one-half of a corset body, one of said sections at the front having a cut-away portion extending into the same from the lower edge thereof and a band comprising a plurality of relatively adjustable parts extending around the corset body, upon said sections and adjacent the bottom edges thereof, one of said parts being arranged to completely cover the cut away portion.

4-. In a corset, the combination with a plurality of sections comprising one half of a corset body, of a band extending across the bottom of said sections and secured thereto along the bottom edge, said band comprising a plurality of parts, and lacing connecting said parts with one another, one of the sections having a cut-away portion therein extending into said section from the lower edge thereof, the band beingv disposed over the cut-away portion to cover the same.

5. In a corset, the combination of a plu rality of sections comprising one half of a corset body, a section at the front of said half having a cut-away portion therein extending into said section from the lower edge thereof, a flap secured to the front edge, extending rearwardly therefrom and disposed over the opening made by the cutaway portion, a band sewed adjacent the bottom edge of the sections and connected to the rear edge of the corset, and means for connecting the flap and band, the flap, band and connecting means constituting a band along the bottom edge of the corset sections from the front to the rear.

6. In a corset, the combination of a plurality of sections comprising a front, front side, side and rear sections constituting one half of a corset body, said front section having a cut-away portion therein opening into said section from the" bottom edge thereof, a flap secured to the front edge, extending rearwardly' therefrom and disposed over the opening made by the cut-away portion, another flap secured to the rear edge of the front side section and extending. forwardly, the forward end thereof being contiguous to the rear edge of the flap on the front section, means comprising eyelets and lacing for connecting the flaps, a strip of fabric sewed adjacent the bottom edges of the side and rear sections, the rear end of the strip being secured at the rear edge of the rear section and the forward edge of the strip being contiguous to the rear edge of said other flap, means comprising eyelets and lacing for connecting said strip and other flap, the strip and flaps constituting a reinforcing and supporting band running across the lower end of the corset sections from the front to the rear.

7. In a corset, in combination, front sections having interlocking fastening means along their contiguous edges, each of said sections having a cut-away portion therein opening into the same from the bottom edge thereof, a flap sewed to the front edge of each section adjacent the opening therein and extending rearwardly over the opening, a front side section connected to each front section, a forwardly extending flap sewed to the rear edge of said front side sections adjacent the lower ends thereof, means comprising eyelets and lacing for connecting the contiguous edges of said flaps on the front and front side sections, a side section adjacent each front side section, means comprising eyelets and lacing for connecting each pair of front side and side sections, rear sections, means comprising eyelets and lacing for connecting the rear sections, a rear side section sewed to and connecting each pair of rear and side sections, strips of connecting the strips to the flaps on the. front side sections, thereby providing a reinforcing band about the bottom of the corset. i

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS F. SOMERS;

Witnesses:

GEORGE W. GORER, Jr., MARIE FAHMER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

